HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Star, June 5, 2012) – The Malaita Ma’asina Forum (MMF) stands by its statement that 22 gold exports from April 2011 to April 2012 by Gold Ridge Mining Limited have not been physically verified by government officials.

Team Leader of the MMF Economic Development Technical Committee Martin Housanau said they made the insistence following denial by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, Shadrach Fanega, that the gold exports had been physically verified.

Mr. Housanau said officials from the Customs & Excise Division of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, the Ministry of Mines and Energy, and the Central Bank, were not present to physically verify each of the 22 gold exports.

He said information obtained from officials from the Customs and Excise Division contradicts Mr. Fanega’s explanation that gold...

MAJURO, Marshall Islands (Marianas Business Journal, May 7, 2012) – Pacific International Inc. has won a contract for building 1,216 apartments in India using its Waffle-Crete precast concrete system. This follows on the heels of the building of six warehouses with Waffle-Crete in Kenya.

Joseph "Jerry" Kramer, chief executive officer of PII, who left Majuro the week of May 21 for meetings in India to finalize details of the new project, said the company "is looking at other projects in India and East Africa."

PII is the largest construction company in the Marshall Islands, also has operations in Guam, and in recent years has won U.S.-funded construction contracts in Chuuk and Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia. But the India award is PII's first big foray into the Asian construction market. Kramer said the contract, which was awarded in mid-May, is valued at about $8...

SAIPAN, CNMI (Saipan Tribune, June 5, 2012) – Senators are poised to act on a Senate-amended House legislative initiative that changes the 25 percent blood quantum requirement to only "at least some degree" of Chamorro or Carolinian blood or a combination of these, in order to be considered a person of Northern Marianas descent (NMD) and therefore can own land in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).

Senate President Paul Manglona (Ind-Rota) said yesterday that the Senate also incorporates in House Legislative Initiative 17-3, House Draft 1 the increase in the maximum 55-year private land lease to 99 years, changing the definition of NMD corporation, and in ensuring that an adopted child will not necessarily be considered 100 percent NMD.

"Yes, the Senate will act on this initiative. I just wish we could have had people to decide on the repeal of Article 12...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, June 4, 2012) – The forthcoming Cook Islands Budget will increase the pension for Cook Islands residents over 70 by more than 37 U.S. dollars a month.

Minister of Finance Mark Brown says the government is also planning additional increases in future years, with the aim of doubling the pension within 3 years.

At present, 670 people over 70 are paid the pension.

Mr. Brown says further details about the Budget will be released in the lead-up to its formal tabling later this week.

He says the Budget will clarify where the government has re-shuffled its spending to allow for the pension increase.

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

Editorial

Tonga’s 150 Years Of Freedom

Matangi Tonga

NUKUALOFA, Tonga (June 4, 2012) – As we remember Emancipation Day with a public holiday, today 4 June 2012, we marvel the foresight of Tonga's King Siaosi Tupou I who initiated the Emancipation Edict, 150 years ago on 4 June 1862.

Today is a day to be celebrated by Tonga's people and to appreciate that great step forward in the quality of our lives. But it is also a day to reflect that in losing their connections with the precious land that was given to them by Tupou I, too many Tongans have lost the prosperity that they once held in their own strong and capable hands, as producers on that land.

So where has that freedom of 150 years ago left Tongans today?

The land is underdeveloped and the findings of last weeks' Royal Land Commission show that after...

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

News Release

Asian Development Bank Sydney, Australia

June 4, 2012

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $2.06 million regional technical assistance project, supported by the Government of Australia, to boost aid coordination in the Pacific by expanding ADB’s field presence in the region.

The new assistance will allow ADB to continue to operate existing ADB Development Coordination Offices in Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu, which were established under an initial project in 2008. This second phase will establish similar offices in Cook Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. In these countries, ADB has been supporting infrastructure planning and services; water supply; renewable energy and energy policy; public financial management; and public sector reform.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, June 5, 2012) – The New Caledonian government has approved price controls on hundreds of consumer goods in an effort to curb the high cost of living.

This follows discussions with unions after last year’s unprecedented territory-wide demonstrations against high prices.

Walter Zweifel reports.

"The government says it plans to broaden price controls to a further 600 products later this year after setting margins which both wholesalers and retailers can charge on basic commodities ranging from milk, bread and rice to tinned and frozen foods. It has also set some insurance rates, the price of car parts on creche fees. The regulations allow for different margins retailers can charge depending on the size of their premises. In a statement, the government says businesses found to be abusing the regulations are subject to fines of more than...

Kubuabola says Fiji could be mediator for reunification with the South

By Mereani Gonedua

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, June 5, 2012) – A North Korean delegation arrived in Fiji last night to explore areas of mutual interest and development cooperation.

And Foreign Affairs Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola said, given Fiji’s experience as peacekeepers, the country can be mediators towards the reunification of North and South Korea.

Fiji established diplomatic relations with North Korea in April 1975.

"In accordance with Fiji’s ‘Look North Policy’, it is important for us to engage with every country, big or small, based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity with full respect for the fundamental principles of international law," Kubuabola said.

The three-member delegation headed by the Director General of Asia and Oceanic Countries, Kim Myong Gil, met Kubuabola and discussed a number of issues, including the outcomes of the...

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, June 6, 2012) – Even as vendors were polishing their responses to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. (CHC) "assessment" request for proposals due on Monday, chief executive officer Juan N. Babauta was busy writing a new revenue management plan on his massive 20-foot white board.

During yesterday’s CHC board of advisers meeting, Chairman Jack Torres mentioned a "well-thought-out plan" that Babauta had crafted on Sunday and could be viewed on the CEO’s expansive office whiteboard.

When the board meeting was suspended at lunch, Variety asked Babauta for a look at the idea and was provided an extensive briefing on the concept that includes a total of 23 new staff.

The impetus for Babauta’s new plan was the disengagement of Idaho-based International Consulting Services (ICS) from billings/collections work for CHC last Friday per the attorney general’s "cease and desist...

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.